So what do you think about Rowlings outing Dumbledorf?

Question

The author of the Harry Potter books, has stated that the headmaster of Harry Potter's school, is gay. So what are your feeling on that?
Personality I think it's wonderful. Rowling's is sticking to her guns about tolerance.

She outed him at a book signing & the media was there. It's in the news this morning.

Answer 1

I feel that her statement was inappropriate.

She was answering a question from a child who asked "Did Dumbledore ever find true love?" The best reports recorded that she started with "I always saw Dumbledore as gay." She went on to relate an incident about reading the screen play for the movie version of Half-Blood Prince and noticed a passage in which Dumbledore recalled a past female love. Rowlings says that she crossed out the passage and added the words "Dumbledore is gay" in the margin.

After relating her version of the relationship of Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, she went on to say ''Falling in love can blind us to an extent.'' She called this his ''great tragedy.''

This is not an answer for a child. She could just as easily have answered in another fashion. It was only at the end of this outburst that she calmed down enough to exclaim, with a laugh "Oh, my god, the fan fiction!''

It makes me wonder about the personal tragedy in the life of this author that compelled her to answer the question in the way she did. She was not "sticking to her guns," she was revealing something about her personal motivations and the motivations of her fictional characters.

edited later: I believe that she aways had in mind to tell the background story about Dumbledore after the books were finished. I just found this particular moment to not be the best time, but she apparently could not help herself.

Answer 2

I have to admit I have read none of her books...my grandsons are Rowling addicts as is their mom! And they are 12 and 14 - Not certain I understand the purpose of outing Dumbledorf after the fact - perhaps to show kids that if one doesn't know ahead of time what another's proclivities are, they give themselves time to like them and really get to know them? dunno
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In the news today: 10/22

"Jo Rowling calling any Harry Potter character gay would make wonderful strides in tolerance toward homosexuality," Melissa Anelli, Webmaster of the fan site http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org, told The Associated Press. "By dubbing someone so respected, so talented and so kind, as someone who just happens to be also homosexual, she's reinforcing the idea that a person's gayness is not something of which they should be ashamed."

Answer 3

I thought it was interesting, but I don't know if it's something that needed to be publicly stated or that it contributes anything the development of his character. I'll have pay attention as to whether it changes the way I look at him the next time I read the books.

EDIT
I'm currently re-reading Deathly Hollows and last night I read the chapter where Harry reads about Dumbledore and Grinderwald (?sp). I think the suggestion of a homosexual relationship is certainly there if you read between the lines. I guess you could say I don't have a very strong Gay-dar because I didn't pick up on this the first couple times I read the book.

Answer 4

I think it's very cool. Especially since most of us did not guess it, which is to say she didn't draw him as a "gay character." The one I did figure was gay was Professor Slughorn.

Like you say, it's about tolerance.

P.S. For all those people wondering why Rowling mentions it now, after the series is finished, is pretty clear to me. She's saying, in effect, "See, you couldn't tell, could you? Lots of people are gay that are not blatant about it. Ain't nobody's business, wasn't significant to the story, so I didn't put it in the book. But now I tell you to make the point that you can't tell, and that it's not relevant to whether he's a good man, a good wizard or a good headmaster." I think the outing is a very good thing BECAUSE he's a fictional character and therefore she's not invading a real person's privacy to make her point.

Answer 5

Sounds like she is just using this information to collect an audience that she may have missed the first time around.

Since Dumbledore was never "known" to be gay in the books, and was never shown reacting in manner that would have forwarded tolerance of gays in society, then her jumping on this bandwagon NOW is only a very poorly chosen marketing tool. It DOES NOT help the gay community in the slightest, because there will be no more books that now explore this facet...so what do they gain?

And besides, whereas to have books written with gay characters by gay authors can give us a window into the mind and hearts of gay people, to have those same books written by a heterosexual author who just "imagines" the interactions and responses he/she wants to show is just fiction...no truths or insights involved.

I agree that the world needs to learn tolerance. Not just of gays, but of EVERYTHING that divides us one from each other. When all is said and done, we are all HUMAN and it is THAT which should be used to judge each and every one of us...our humanness. (Not colour or sexual preference or religion, or ANYTHING else.)

Answer 6

Not a Harry Potter fan but was still a very interesting little tidbit on the news. Have to wonder why she waited until now to reveal it. Me thinks shes up to something.

Answer 7

I think she meant it to be a positive show of tolerance and the importance of all persons having a contribution and being brilliant wonderful people. However, I am confused as to why she thought it was necessary to share with reporters who if given the opportunity to put it in a positive light, will usually opt out.
This is such an incredible series of books. They are truly modern classics. I sincerely hope that this does not tarnish the memory of them by those who will now take issue and read undo importance into the authors statements.

Answer 8

I think it is refreshing. I seriously doubt there is a youngster old enough to read a Harry Potter book that doesn't know that there are gays.

Addressing it in a matter-of-fact way in a book puts it is its proper perspective, sociologically.

Answer 9

I have to agree with Iritadragon and Auntb....the point of this declaration was NOT to "out" anyone, but rather make a statement that people...men and women...are NOT defined in life by their sexuality, but by what they do. Being gay did not affect his job in any way, no students were molested, no one was either encouraged or discouraged, and in fact, the books take a rather mundane view of sexuality on the whole. WE did not look into this facet in the books, for they were not important in this context, as it should be in life...yet there are those who scream and rant about "gay," for no other reason than their bible tells them so...so many make an big issue of so very little...I am left confounded by the attitude. Unless someone is coming onto me, it matters not one whit what or who they choose to go to bed with. It is more than strange that I find very little "straightophobia" in gays, yet so much "homophobia" in Straights...just why is this? The jocks can sit and watch Sunday football, rant and rave, and yet, fully 10% of these players are gay, probably more, for in 'manly' sports, you will find a higher number of closet gays proving some point to someone, somewhere. Why anyone feels they have to live a life in a closet of any kind is beyond me. It is understandable, given a few of the answers I see above, but in the end, totally unacceptable nonsense on anyone's part, bible or not! Peace and love, Goldwing

Answer 10

Juju is a bigot, simply put. Jesus taught us to love everyone, even our enemies. I guess she missed that part!
Gayness is a part of society; always has been, always will be. It is not a choice, nor due to "influences".
My gay-dar yelled out at me when I first read about Dumbledore (to wit, Dumb Dork). Big Deal. Gays are no more child molesters than any other segment of society.
Get over it. And, by the way, "love your neighbor as thyself".